Chapter 222: Veiled Nightfall in Daocheng

The night grew deep, its sky sprinkled with countless stars.

Dark clouds drifted lazily above, obscuring the pristine moonlit glow.

Under the lunar sheen, the vast Daocheng City seemed to emit a soft radiance, with temples perched on hillsides as if coaxing the moon’s silver torrents from the heavens.

Every glimmering spot heralded the presence of a temple.

This was the Bizarre Temple, which thrived far more lively under the cover of darkness than in daylight.

It was as if the temple’s guardian spirit had awakened from slumber, opening its maw to absorb the chilling lunar light.

Within the city walls.

There stood an extremely secluded pavilion.

Before its door, dense black mist surged upward, and soon a figure in white emerged from the vortex.

Wearing a mask as white as jade emblazoned with the character ‘Six’, it was none other than the Sixth-Rank Corpse God Envoy who had departed from Magic Child Lord.

Beneath the mask, its eyes shone with a mysterious light.

In a single flick of a finger, a burst of deathly energy shot into the pavilion.

After a brief moment…

The pavilion door suddenly swung open!

Amid raging winds, a soft voice floated out: “Please, come in.”

The voice was elusive, its source impossible to pinpoint.

“Eh? A Cursed Jade Corpse?”

“Corpse God Sect… daring to act so boldly in Daocheng. Have they truly locked away their divine heirs?”

The Corpse God Envoy in white glided elegantly; its jade mask shimmered in the moonlight.

“What’s wrong? Not entering the Corpse God Sect’s domain?”

“Rest assured. At Lie Shen Pavilion, we care not for origins—only profit. As long as your price is right, entry is granted.”

At these words, the Corpse God Envoy gave a gentle smile.

This was Lie Shen Pavilion.

They never questioned a client’s affiliation with the Corpse God Sect; if the benefit was there, even their assassins would be for hire.

The Envoy lightly tapped its toe and stepped gracefully into the pavilion.

Boom—!

The door slammed shut in an instant.

Countless sparks ignited, and the envoy felt as if the heavens and earth were spinning wildly. In the next moment, its eyes cleared slightly.

Inside, the pavilion revealed a hidden realm; it was merely a teleportation gateway.

Stepping inside triggered a divine array that sent one to another location.

However, it was likely still within Daocheng.

Even now, though cultivators have delved deeper into the mysteries of divinity, they still cannot forge a divine array capable of long-range teleportation.

The room was sealed tight—no windows, space completely shut off—and an interfering divine array muddled any sense of direction, as if time and space themselves were in disarray.

Even the Corpse God Envoy, cursed jade corpse or not, could not sense its whereabouts.

“Who do you wish to kill, dear guest?”

A soft, drifting voice inquired.

Then, the envoy caught sight of a figure seated high above.

The figure wore a jade mask.

It was the Jade-Masked Assassin of Lie Shen Pavilion, a force far superior to the Gold-Masked Assassins.

The envoy’s eyes narrowed as it said, “The Underworld.”

“Ogre, Ma Mian, Divine Monkey, Black and White Wuchang… all must be eliminated.”

Once the words fell,

“The Underworld…”

The Jade-Masked Assassin’s voluminous black robe billowed as if caught in an unseen wind, and a deep voice resonated:

“The Underworld force… it’s linked to Qitian Temple. Not to be taken lightly.”

“According to our intelligence, besides Ma Mian, Ogre, Divine Monkey and Black and White Wuchang all boast Grandmaster-level power…”

“Moreover, the Underworld’s Ogre once bested City Lord Su Huai Li and even clashed with General Long Tai of the Divine Guard Army without defeat, a true Inherent Grandmaster…”

“So, will you take the job?” the Corpse God Envoy asked coolly.

“I need more money,” the Jade-Masked Assassin replied in a deep tone.

The envoy’s eyes flickered: “The Underworld once decimated our Jin Guang Mansion branch. Killing the Underworld is revenge for Lie Shen Pavilion—two birds with one stone. And you ask for more money?”

The Jade-Masked Assassin smiled softly: “That’s the work of the assassins from Jin Guang Mansion—what does it matter for our Daocheng division?”

Hearing this, the Corpse God Envoy fell silent.

Truly, the assassins of Lie Shen Pavilion were as cold and unfeeling as ever.

They had no time for sentimentalities.

“State your price,” the envoy ordered.

It continued,

“For Ogre: one Five Elders Divine Crystal and ten Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals.”

“For Ma Mian: ten Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals.”

“For Divine Monkey: one Five Elders Divine Crystal and ten Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals.”

“For Black and White Wuchang: a total of fifty Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals.”

The Jade-Masked Assassin’s broad robe descended slowly, and from its sleeve, hidden projectiles were laid out as it spoke.

The envoy’s eyes tightened—a price…

It was indeed far higher than expected.

In total, the cost was two Five Elders Divine Crystals and eighty Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals!

The price… was exorbitant!

Only Magic Child Lord, with his immense wealth and influence within the Corpse God Sect, could afford such an expense.

Otherwise, even a formidable cursed jade corpse would balk at spending so many resources hiring assassins.

“And if the mission fails?”

“Only one Five Elders Divine Crystal is taken as a deposit; the rest is non-refundable…”

“Deal.”

Suddenly, the cursed jade corpse’s hand transformed into a jade-like glow as a thumb-sized divine crystal pulsed forth, brimming with majestic power.

A burst of resplendent light erupted from the crystal.

The jade-masked assassin clutched it firmly.

“Farewell,” came the final word.

As soon as the words died away,

The divine array reactivated.

A mighty wave of divine energy surged like an overwhelming tide.

In the next moment, the envoy entered a daze, its very primordial sense being blocked.

When clarity finally returned, it found itself back at the pavilion entrance.

Stepping out, the envoy’s eyes beneath its mask sharpened as thick deathly aura and black miasma roiled behind it!

“You’ve got some nerve!”

…

…

The night deepened as a massive stream of gray clouds drifted across the sky.

Under the moon’s glow, the edges of the dark clouds emitted a faint, chilling light.

On the rooftop,

Ma Mian stood silently, having mounted a slim, modified Xiangong Fire God Barrett.

Raising it slowly, deep, dark eyes shone beneath his mask.

Ogre, cloaked in a black robe, had torn open the space between his mask’s brows, revealing a golden eye. His Star Plucking Gaze sparkled brilliantly as, in tandem with the Cosmic Chessboard, a dome of divine energy enveloped the entire residence.

Furthermore, every probing eye was cut off—unless a divine cultivator of the divine heir stage forcefully extended their perception.

Otherwise, exposure was nearly impossible.

COSMIC CHESSBOARD!

Lock on!

Behind Ma Mian’s mask, his eyes flickered with intertwined streams of light.

Meanwhile,

Li Che raised a hand to press upon his mask. In that instant, his blood surged and his muscles roared as if forged from steel.

It was as if currents of crimson electricity danced upon his skin, and one explosion of divine guts after another broke forth like dragons emerging from their shells, coiling in his grasp.

He was poised to strike!

Ma Mian’s gaze seemed to merge with the Cosmic Chessboard.

In the next instant, powerful divine energy erupted from his body.

In Tinglei Alley and the Courtyard,

Boom, boom, boom—

One after another, images of Painted Immortal clones burst forth in dazzling explosions,

dissipating into dense inky mist!

The overwhelming divine energy surged back, and in a single thought, Li Che transferred it all into Ma Mian’s body.

Then, Ma Mian channeled it into the Xiangong Fire God Barrett. In the dim light, it seemed as though red flames gathered into a furious, crimson dragon coiled around the elongated barrel!

Boom—!!!

Like a bolt of mystic thunder from the heavens crashing to earth!

It exploded suddenly, tearing through the silence!

In that instant, it was as if all the raging tempests were cleaved apart!

On the crimson barrel of the Fire God Barrett, one raised ridge after another resembled pulsing, blood-like veins!

Power surged forth as countless tongues of fire burst into brilliant, searing light against the darkness!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!

A long, narrow Black and White Collapse Fire Dragon Fang shot out under the barrage of blazing fires.

Its embedded black and white patterns whirled rapidly, like two opposing chess pieces in mid-spin,

harboring a power capable of undoing the world in silence!

Flames twirled around the Fang as though a fire dragon had emerged from a volcano, baring its ferocious fangs!

Sizzle, sizzle!

The scorching heat distorted the air currents!

At the tip of the Fang, the airflow tapered swiftly, splitting off to the sides at breakneck speed!

Its speed…

reached its peak instantly!

Almost before a sound could register, it had reached deep within the residence.

A murderous intent of overwhelming scale!

It descended in a torrent!

…

…

The inferno of the Magic Child Lord’s fiery lotus emblem on his brow steamed violently.

The temple spirit’s divine aura frantically warned him of impending doom!

It was a danger so extreme it could make one’s hair stand on end and snuff out life in an instant!

In just a moment, Magic Child Lord had pinpointed the source of the threat!

Ogre!

It had to be Ogre!

In all of Daocheng, the only person Magic Child Lord was determined to kill was Ogre!

No one else—even the Temple Guardian Division—had ever stirred such murderous intent in him.

“What lunatic?!”

“Have I ever wronged him?!”

Magic Child Lord gritted his teeth. He had never once wronged the Underworld’s Ogre…

He couldn’t fathom the reason for his own impending doom.

Ever since his clone tried to escape from Jin Guang Mansion and came under the Underworld’s watchful eye, Ogre had relentlessly pursued him!

What had he done?!

Had someone hired Underworld assassins to kill him?

But he recalled no offense committed in Jin Guang City!

Magic Child Lord felt utterly confused, his small face twisted in anguish as dark circles around his eyes threatened to spread further.

Suddenly,

Magic Child Lord sprang from the doorway, landing on his tiptoes as waves of deathly aura spread out, sweeping over the scene. With a clenched fist, he flung two golden beans away in an instant.

In that moment, before him appeared two golden Cursed Golden Corpses!

Their protective power was dwindling—he now had only two left.

Originally, he had five, but Ogre’s explosive mushroom cloud had taken out three…

Now, with only two Cursed Golden Corpses guarding him, it was far from enough… absolutely insufficient…

Because Magic Child Lord had long uncovered the truth behind City Lord Su Huai Li’s death!

Su Huai Li had even summoned the Corpse God’s Will, yet he still fell!

And with City Lord You Liqing providing protection, backed by two Inherent Grandmasters!

Even under such defense, Su Huai Li was brutally cut down by Ogre!

Magic Child Lord…

would likely suffer the same fate!

Thus, two Cursed Golden Corpses simply would not suffice!

“Ahhh——!!!”

“Damn it!”

Even when caught in that terrifying mushroom cloud of fireworks earlier, he’d never felt such an imminent sense of death!

That ever-closing terror, the creeping sensation of death, had his whites of the eyes networked with bloodshot veins!

Death was drawing ever nearer!

Was Ogre always watching him?

Shortly after the Sixth-Rank Corpse God Envoy departed, Ogre struck immediately!

The timing was impeccably precise!

It was as if Ogre had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for his guard to drop, for the moment when his defenses were at their weakest, to deliver a thunderous blow!

He was the ultimate hunter!

In an instant…

Magic Child Lord sensed an eerie stillness all around.

Every sound vanished as if swallowed by an invisible force!

All that remained between heaven and earth was a stark interplay of black and white!

In Magic Child Lord’s bloodshot eyes, a look of sheer terror suddenly appeared.

Then, a streak of crimson light burst forth from outside the residence,

tearing through the night like a comet with a whipping tail!

It fell like a bolt of lightning from the heavens!

“Block it—!!!”

Magic Child Lord screamed!

Though he was a pawn of the Corpse God Sect, he had only just fully consolidated his divine foundation. After all, he cultivated the Corpse God’s Divine Essence Technique and still needed time to master it.

The oppressive divine pressure emanating from the Fire Dragon Fang nearly rivaled the explosive force of a Divine Practitioner!

How could Magic Child Lord not fear?!

Buzz—!

One of the Cursed Golden Corpses erupted in radiant golden light, its interlacing golden energy coalescing into a spear of gold, which it thrust fiercely toward the tip of the Fire Dragon Fang!

The tip of the Fang met the spearhead as if in collision!

The Cursed Golden Corpse’s eyes gleamed a bloody red; every bone in its body resonated as it recoiled.

The golden spear, burdened by an almost insurmountable weight, seemed to bend under the strain—like a mountain about to collapse!

But in a mere fraction of a breath,

the Fire Dragon Fang, struck by that immense power, shattered with a thunderous explosion!

In that instant!

The entire courtyard was flooded with blinding light!

Endless radiance, searing heat, and a white, overwhelming glow!

A swirling vortex of black and white emerged, churning relentlessly with a power that spelled utter annihilation!

The Cursed Golden Corpse’s scarlet eyes shrank, instantly engulfed by the exploding interplay of light!

It was as if a colossal, rotating lid of black and white descended abruptly, engulfing the Cursed Golden Corpse entirely!

Crackle, crackle, crackle—

Countless explosive shocks expelled gusts of wind, clearing a void as if sanitizing the chaos!

Amid the clamor of shattering blasts, the golden energy of the corpse raged endlessly against the swirling vortex—a titanic clash of obliterative forces!

Meanwhile, another Cursed Golden Corpse shielded Magic Child Lord, blocking the onslaught of the violent winds!

Carrying Magic Child Lord, it retreated at high speed, clearing a hundred zhang away!

But the moment it landed,

the Cursed Golden Corpse’s eyes constricted. With a clenched fist, its unique golden might lashed out mercilessly at the air ahead.

Somewhere…

at an unknown moment, a white chess piece tumbled in the air, spinning with the currents!

Suddenly.

That chess piece was seized by a massive, fan-like hand.

And in its place…

came an overwhelming surge of blood and a towering, oppressive form!

Boom!

The turbulent aura and churning air burst forth with a deep, rumbling roar from the formidable mass of Ogre!

It was the sound of air ripped asunder by savage force!

Because Li Che wasted not a single word, he had hidden a Feilei Chess Piece within the Fire Dragon Fang.

When the Fang exploded, the chess piece was propelled by the tremendous force,

rushing under the subtle control of the Cosmic Chessboard toward Magic Child Lord!

When it appeared within a zhang of Magic Child Lord’s body, the Cursed Golden Corpse detected it, and golden energy lashed out, aiming to obliterate the chess piece!

“Ogre—!!”

Magic Child Lord’s eyes flared with fury!

That fawning Ogre!

To kill a mere child still cultivating his divine foundation, yet employing such sly tricks—it was anything but straightforward!

No wonder Ogre was so despicable, treacherous, and cunning!

Li Che’s gaze behind his mask was chillingly cold!

He felt no qualms about his assassination methods, deeming them completely justified and pragmatic.

What use is integrity when it comes to killing?

When facing that little Yellow-Haired one who dared call his daughter ‘Madam’,

Li Che said nothing—no pleasantries, even if his target was none other than a Magic Child Lord of the Corpse God Sect.

Nor did Li Che hesitate for a moment!

In mid-air, his fist clenched into a ball as divine energy surged from his very flesh,

and he launched blow after blow with his primordial divine guts stored in his arm!

He struck at the Cursed Golden Corpse’s assault that rivaled even that of an Inherent Grandmaster’s explosive power!

Boom—!!!

The shockwave exploded, and a massive concussive force rippled out, throwing the courtyard’s dust high into the air!

The Cursed Golden Corpse that safeguarded Magic Child Lord looked on in startled disbelief.

“Divine Guts?”

“Not even Inherent?!”

But no sooner had he relaxed his guard than his nerves snapped back taut!

For that divine power that surged through him…

How could it be so terrifying?!

This was divine guts?

What kind of divine guts was this?!

In an instant, a monstrous surge of Ogre’s blood erupted—a horrifying torrent that transformed into a churning blood mist as a volcano erupted!

Boiling heat and fierce winds exploded in a wild frenzy!

Five streams of divine guts merged into one, forging a singular overwhelming force!

The Grandmaster-level Vajra Transformation!

The Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant!

Li Che unleashed his killer intent without reservation—a lethal Martial Saint Technique!

It was as if phantasmal dragons and elephants materialized behind him—divine dragons roaring and mighty elephants trumpeting!

His indomitable martial will radiated outward, centering on Ogre’s brow!

The will of Dragon Elephant, shattering the earth!

So close was the distance that even the guardians of the Cursed Golden Corpses could not withstand the barrage of Ogre’s overwhelming might.

His eyes grew unfocused, and the fevered mark on his brow blazed, unable to withstand the impact…

In that moment, it was as if a towering, mountain-like elephant stomped down, fracturing the ground into shards, while a divine dragon slithered upward, shattering the canopy of the heavens!

It was terrifying!

So terrifying—!

Magic Child Lord trembled in abject terror; such brutal physical torment, such extreme flesh-shredding power!

He simply could not withstand it!

No!

Not even a fraction of a breath could block it!

In an instant, he would be shattered into a myriad pieces of gore!

Boom—!!!

The Cursed Golden Corpse roared in fury as the rancid corpse aura and deathly energy surged upward in torrents!

With its fist clenched, it struck out in a crushing blow that collided head-on with Ogre’s fierce punch!

The combined might of five streams of divine guts clashed with his golden energy—it was over in a flash…

His golden energy splintered away!

That overwhelming punch nearly coalesced Li Che’s martial will carved from five Martial Saint Techniques into one!

The five streams of divine guts evolved into an unparalleled physical power…

Li Che had long since compensated for his shortcomings against Inherent Grandmasters!

The entire arm of the Cursed Golden Corpse, forged of what seemed like liquid gold, snapped in a horrifying display, unable to withstand Ogre’s blow!

It was as if an earth-shattering force collided head-on with the Corpse’s chest!

In an instant, the Cursed Golden Corpse shattered like a cannonball, tearing the residence’s floor into fragments with explosive shards of rubble!

The impact sent Magic Child Lord reeling, coughing up blood as he skidded like a bouncing ball across the ground!

In that fleeting instant, Magic Child Lord’s hair stood on end as he noticed his own shadow stir—a Grandmaster-level assassin had emerged.

A jet-black dagger lunged straight for his neck!

Magic Child Lord’s whole body stiffened with cold dread. The Divine Guardian, not only a Grandmaster but also akin to a Divine Practitioner, struck without pause.

The overwhelming divine pressure weighed upon him.

“I can’t block it… I can’t block it at all…”

Magic Child Lord despaired utterly.

He never awaited the return of the Sixth-Rank Cursed Jade Corpse Envoy.

With a Cursed Jade Corpse present, he would have been safe.

But…

There was no time left!

Wild and disheveled, Magic Child Lord screamed as his body jerked back into action. A terrifying surge of divine energy suddenly erupted from within him!

The Divine Guardian’s cold, unyielding dagger, unaffected by Magic Child Lord’s screams, maintained its relentless precision.

In one swift motion, it slashed his neck!

With a soft thud, his head flew upward, hair swirling wildly in its wake!

Yet…

That disheveled head continued its silent scream.

As the severed head spun through the air, clutched by his headless body, the exposed wound tore relentlessly, producing an endless stream of screams!

Li Che’s fist smashed into the concave chest of the Cursed Golden Corpse, his furrowed brow betraying his displeasure.

What had been a flawless assassination plan until now…

seemed to have taken an unexpected turn!

Li Che’s eyes grew inscrutable as he watched the fiery lotus emblem on Magic Child Lord’s brow dissolve, as if devoured by some terrible force.

A burst of formidable, terrifying crimson divine power exploded from Magic Child Lord’s frame!

It swelled around his small body like an inflating balloon!

And then…

A presence—a scent that didn’t belong in this world—fell with a deafening crash!

Boom…

…

…

Whoosh—

A cool evening breeze swept across the empty Long Street of Daocheng.

It stirred turbulent currents in its wake!

In an instant,

a figure as smooth as jade shot forth like lightning, dashing silently over a hundred zhang,

vanishing as if swallowed by darkness.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t used Time-Space Corpse Technique to reach Magic Child Lord’s side directly;

rather, he lost his target—unable to lock onto Magic Child Lord’s position, the technique naturally failed.

Clearly, the expert aiming to assassinate Magic Child Lord was also a master of spatial sealing in divine arrays!

Crash—

The Jade Corpse Envoy halted abruptly, and behind his mask his eyes widened in pure terror.

He clutched his chest, as if an electric jolt of oppressive pressure exploded within his heart.

In his mind, a terrifying will was descending relentlessly!

“The Corpse God Seal?”

“They aim not for the Corpse’s Flesh Guanyin—but for the Corpse God!”

“I invoke the Corpse God!”

Boom—!!!

The jade-masked Corpse God Envoy trembled uncontrollably, unable to move a muscle.

He collapsed to his knees on the ground, his head bowing toward the residence, and beneath his jade mask, his eyes brimmed with endless terror.

“Corpse… may the Corpse God forgive me!”

…

…

No divine array—even that of the Cosmic Chessboard—could sever the spiritual bond between the Corpse God and his devotees.

It was a connection forged in the very essence of the soul and faith!

At that moment,

all of Daocheng trembled.

In many places, the stench of death and decay spread uncontrollably.

Countless people knelt, as if face-to-face with an ineffable presence they dared not behold!

Within the splendid mansion,

Li Che, wearing an Ogre Mask, stood as imposing as a mountain, his aura of terror and swirling blood-like energy reverberating, as five streams of divine energy coiled about him.

Each pulsation vibrated the air with explosive force!

His eyes remained fixed on the distance.

There—beyond where the beheaded Magic Child Lord lay—exploded an even more fearsome aura. Even the air of the Cursed Golden Corpses paled in comparison!

“What on earth… is this?”

What exactly is the Corpse God’s Magic Child Lord…?

The ignited power of burning blood!

Could Magic Child Lord be a progeny of the Corpse God?!

Li Che furrowed his brow.

Yet he did not show much panic.

The oppressive aura was unmistakable—a terrifying divine rank pressure that no ordinary cultivator could even hope to move a finger against.

Even Li Che’s inner world, visible within his mud pellet, quivered with every divine foundation.

The Flaming-Eyed Astounding Divine Monkey’s Form and the Hundred-Twist Melancholy Gui Ling Rabbit’s Form trembled slightly.

This was a suppression unique to the divine rank!

Boom—

In the suspended space inside the mud pellet, the slumbering divine image of the True Monkey slowly stirred, opening its eyes as if pummeling its chest and emitting an enraged roar!

In the distance,

Magic Child Lord, cradling his dismembered head, watched as the darkness in his bloodshot eyes deepened.

A terrifying aura, befitting that of a deity, radiated from his small form, surging outward in unstoppable shockwaves!

Slowly, Magic Child Lord’s body began to levitate,

as he reattached his severed head to his neck. In a moment of reversal, with a sharp twist and a crack…

his head spun a full 180 degrees!

A monstrous divine pressure rolled over him like an avalanche from behind.

Yet…

It was as if Magic Child Lord had beckoned the arrival of the Corpse God.

His eyes stilled.

“Invoke a deity?”

Then, Ogre’s hand clenched, and out of thin air he produced a mask of golden monkey hair billowing in the wind.

The Mythical Weapon!

The Qi Tian Face!

Bold, unrestrained, and domineering!

He slammed it over his face.

“You mention the Corpse God?”

I invoke Qi Tian!

Seven-Thousand Words. Vote for your monthly ticket, recommend, and support the chase-read! The kid’s been a riot—Old Li had him beaten, and now he’s finally quiet. Updates may be a bit slow; he’ll try to finish the twelve o’clock version tonight. Keep the chase-read coming!